In Reply.
—Dr Caropreso points out that some of the technical details in "The Learning Curve" do not ring true. This may be because I was only an observer to the incident and did not perform the surgery myself. The filter of my memory may in fact have "stylized" some of the minor surgical details, but the important aspects of the episode occurred exactly as I have related them.
My intention in writing the essay was not to imply that older surgeons are incapable of learning new technologies. I am sure Caropreso and thousands of others have competently done so. Rather, I hoped to highlight the challenge that dramatically new techniques pose to those who may be many years out from their training, who may not have had to alter or add to their basic skills in many years.
In no way did I mean to imply that older physicians
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